Book Backdrop for Ron’s Big Mission by Rose Blue – Object #4

North Carolina, South Carolina with special maps of Great Smokies and Southeast United States, 1958

<p>The highway map shows the Southeastern states of Kentucky, Tennessee, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, and most of Louisiana and Arkansas. At the bottom is an illustrated inset of highlights of the Great Smoky Mountains. On the right side is a close-up map of Charleston, South Carolina. The bottom right has a mileage table between major cities.</p>

The Esso tourist map from 1958 shows highways, rivers and lakes, and major cities in the Southeast United States.

Excerpts

From bottom left: “Happy Motoring! The miles just seem to float by when you travel on quiet, safe, easy-to-drive highways…And it’s always reassuring to know that wherever you drive–from Maine to Louisiana–you are never far from an Esso dealer who is in business to serve you for Happy Motoring!”

Questions:

What kind of source is this?

Where is Little Rock on this map?

Where is Lake City, South Carolina, where Ron lived in the 1950s when this map was made?

Do you think it would take a long time to drive from Little Rock to Lake City? Give evidence to support your answer.

In what part of the country is Lake City, South Carolina, located?

Citations

Esso Standard Oil Company. North Carolina, South Carolina with special maps of Great Smokies and Southeast United States. 1958. Alan Lomax Collection, American Folklife Center, Library of Congress.